


And I'll Begin with the Women

by Psaiki



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Darcy Lewis is Tony Stark's Daughter, Gen, Pepper Potts Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 08:59:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13004313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Psaiki/pseuds/Psaiki
Summary: A prequel to what should one day be the actual prequel to Where Civil Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean.After having finally settled into her position as Tony Stark's Personal Assistant, Pepper Potts still doesn't expect a phone call from a 14 year old Darcy Lewis, a phone call that is about to change lives.With her mother gone, Darcy Lewis has to decide whether or not she wants to meet the father she's heard about but never known.Tony doesn't get away with skipping work today.  He gets nothing done anyway.The title is a line from the epilogue of Shakespeare's "As You Like It".  (Cause apparently I'm going with a theme here.)





	And I'll Begin with the Women

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't necessarily thinking about writing a Tony meets his daughter/Darcy meets her dad story, but when I started writing about Darcy's mom, that's what came out. What I actually plan for the Where Civil Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean Prequel, is how Darcy meets Bucky, with Darcy's mom was just being a small piece of that. Well, you now see how that turned out. Anyway, when it so very eventually gets written, the actual prequel will hopefully fit better with what goes on in Where Civil Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean. But you'll see this will be a little different though.
> 
> I apologize for any glaring errors because there is only so many times something can be looked at before it finally just has to get out there.

* * *

****Lara Lewis first started her internship for Stark Industries at the beginning of the summer of 1988.  It was in the legal department, and she was always busy.  Her first day was eleven hours long, she made sixteen pots of coffee, heard seven variations of her name in both inside and outside voices, purposely broke the heels off of her shoes, and fell asleep standing up in the elevator for four full floors.

 

Two weeks later she saw her first confidential documents.  After that, her internship flew by and she ended up learning way more than more about the legal system in action.  Because when you worked at Stark Industries, you were surrounded by more than a few of the smartest professionals on the planet; Lara Lewis was a sponge who soaked it all up.

 

But it was what happened about halfway through that summer that made Lara Lewis who she was until her last breath.

 

Even before Tony Stark became CEO of Stark Industries, the company was known to throw elaborate, last-all-night parties.  Halfway through the summer, they threw one for all employees, including interns and the son of the current CEO, the son now being dragged into company life to learn the ropes. (Whether he wanted to or not.)

 

Lara didn’t think she would ever meet any of the Starks, especially not Tony.  But as chance would have it, they literally bumped into one another at the bar.  Luckily she was there to refill a drink, and therefore did not embarrass herself, nor get herself fired by spilling a drink on the attractive man suddenly winding his arms around her waist as she had braced her hands forward, resulting in her palms against his chest.

 

“Buy me a drink?” he winked.  They both knew the drinks tonight were free, or at least already paid for by his father’s company.

 

It was his eyes, she decided.  Paired with the lips.  How was she supposed to resist them when one only spoke lies and one only spoke the truth but never for more than a few seconds?

 

It was the best night she ever had in her entire life.  From the one dance that could hardly be called a dance, to the last drunken kiss stolen before the elevator doors opened and she left the building to catch a cab and he went back to the top floor to follow his parents home.

 

Four weeks later, it was the last day of her internship, and Lara met with two people, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and received equally significant bits of news.  The first person she met with was the head of the legal department, who told her that Stark Industries wanted to offer her a full time job at the company; she accepted with an enthusiastic handshake and a smile that covered her whole face.  The second person she met with was her doctor, who informed her that she was four weeks pregnant, “Congratulations”; she silently processed the words with shaking fingers and a hand covering her wide open mouth.

 

Darcy Lewis was born April 4th, 1989.  

 

On December 16th, two years later, in 1991, Howard Stark and Maria Stark died in what was ruled a car accident.

 

One week later, Lara Lewis, officially, saw her last set of confidential S.I. documents, and promptly quit.  She never set foot in the building again.  Lara Lewis simply disappeared.  Her two year old daughter did as well.

 

* * *

 

Getting back on the grid is super easy, process-wise.  Mentally and emotionally-wise, it is the most difficult thing Darcy Lewis now finds herself doing in her immensely young life.

 

At fourteen years old, her mother has just died.

 

_Kidney failure, the doctors said.  Something that had been underway for some time, but had been missed until it was too late; her rapid decline was sudden and everything was over before anyone could do anything but make Lara comfortable those last few days in the tiny Rhode Island hospital._

 

_“Darcy, my everything, I want you to stay safe.  But I don’t want you to have to hide forever.  You’re so smart.  So, so, so very smart.  Smarter than me.  You’ll stay safe, right?  But you’ll also live a full life, okay?  Do you understand me?”  The young brunette, clutching her mother’s frail hand, as if by tightening her grip she could prevent what was about to happen, shook her head, sending tears flying.  “Always love, my dearest.  But trust only periodically.  And never betray anybody.”_

 

_“I don’t understand, mom.  What do you want me to do?”_

 

_“Just remember that I love you,” Lara softly smiled.  “You can do that, can’t you?”_

 

_Darcy nodded.  “Yes,” she whispered.  “I love you too, mom…”_

 

She’s already wasted ninety cents at the payphone, not completing a dial after putting her money in and letting time run out.  Not to mention the meager breakfast she threw up only an hour ago.  If only she could take a deep breath and do this.  After all, she’s known the number by heart since she was seven.  She holds her breath instead.  Darcy puts a few more coins in the slot, dials the number, listens to the rings on the other end, and squeaks out a breath when a woman says, “Stark Industries, Pepper Potts speaking, how may I help you today?”

 

Darcy coughs.  She won’t go back to the motel empty handed today.  “Umm, is Tony, I mean, Mr. Stark arou-available?”

 

“Mr. Stark is attending to business matters at the moment,” _at least he better be_ “and will not be available for the rest of the day.  But as his personal assistant, I am qualified to help address anything you may need of him, or to schedule you an appointment with Mr. Stark.  Is that what you would prefer, to schedule an appointment?”

 

“Umm, I-- I’m not sure.  ...Do I need an appointment just to ask him a question?”

 

“It would probably depend on the question.  If you would like, I could write down your question and your information to bring to Mr. Stark and then get back to you with his response, or possibly schedule a meeting.  May I ask your name, Miss…?”

 

“It’s…” Darcy doesn’t finish answering the question.  She’s been steadily crying since she stumbled over the word “Tony”.  “ _My mom just died…_ ”

 

Pepper barely hears the girl’s sob before the line goes dead.   **_Oh_ ** _…_  And suddenly she knows what the girl wanted, what questions she may have for Tony, and better yet, what questions her questions would bring.

 

She prepares for her to call back.

 

* * *

Darcy’s had a couple of days to cry herself to sleep every night since her mother’s funeral.  (A simple, state-funded cremation)  She’s also had a few days to finally start showering again and to properly check her footsteps (actual and digital) as her mother always taught her.  Darcy thinks she’s now in a well enough state to actually figure out her next steps.  She decides her first step should be getting on a bus to New York.

 

The next day, she calls Tony Stark’s office again.

 

“Stark Industries, Pepper Potts speaking, how may I--?”

 

“It’s, umm, me… again,” Darcy interrupts.  “I called about a week ago.  I was the one whose--I mean, the one who hung up.”

 

“Thank you for calling back,” Pepper says with quiet, sincere, honesty.  “I’m so sorry for your loss.  Please, can I get your name?”

 

“It’s Darcy.  Darcy Lewis.”

 

“Darcy.  Would you like to come to Stark Industries for a meeting?  I think we both have some questions we could help each other answer.  Where are you, Darcy?  Can I send a car?”

 

“Will Mr. Stark be there?”

 

“I thought for your first trip to S.I., it’d be better if it was just us.  Something informal.  We don’t even have to meet here, if you’d like.”

 

“Yeah, I guess that sounds okay.  I haven’t really thought any of this through, honestly.”

 

“That’s okay; we can figure it all out together.  I promise.”

 

“Miss Potts--”

 

“Please, call me Pepper.”

 

“Umm, Pepper, why aren’t you asking me more questions about who I am or what I want?  What if I’m like a spy or something?”

 

“Well, Darcy, most spies don’t call Tony’s direct line.  And I could be wrong, but you sound a little young to be capable of corporate espionage.  Plus, you sound like you could use a friend more than you could use an interrogator.”

 

“You don’t even know me.”

 

“But I know people.  Otherwise I wouldn’t be very good at my job, would I?”

 

“You’re very good at your job, aren’t you?”

 

“The best.”

 

A pause so muted, Pepper wonders if this is what standing in a soap bubble feels like.

 

“I really like coffee…”

 

* * *

Darcy shows up at the small coffee shop two blocks down from Stark Industries twenty minutes earlier than the time she scheduled with Pepper.  She chooses a booth that grants her some privacy, but also lets her watch the front door, along with the rest of the shop.  She orders a muffin and takes her time eating it; careful not to stare directly at any cameras as she counts them.  The brunette is nervous though, so her muffin crumbles more than tears into pieces.

 

When the bell above the door rings ten minutes before their scheduled time, and Pepper Potts walks in, Darcy thinks that her mother would have loved this capable redhead on the spot.

 

She waves when Pepper’s gaze flits her way.

 

“Darcy Lewis?”

 

“Yes,” she says, standing up.

 

“Pepper Potts,” she takes Darcy’s hand in hers with a smile.  “It’s nice to meet you.”

 

“You too.”

 

“Have you ordered?”

 

“No, well, a muffin, but--”

 

“Well, what would you like?  Let me order it for you and I’ll get something for myself.”

 

“Anything with two sugars and two creams.”

 

“I know just the thing.  Be right back.”

 

Darcy sits back down.  A few minutes later, Pepper joins her.

 

“Shouldn’t be more than a few minutes on those coffees.”

 

Darcy nods.  She’s suddenly speechless and not sure why.  That’s okay though.  Pepper offers her a smile and takes the reins.

 

“I just want you to know, that whatever you do or don’t wanna tell me, I’ll understand.  And I’ll only tell Tony what you want me to.  I’m here for you, Darcy; you shouldn’t have to go through more than you are capable after what you’ve just been through, and are likely still going through.  Even if you don’t want to talk today, if you just want a coffee with a friendly face, I’m okay with that too.  Just start whenever you feel like talking.”

 

Yeah, her mom would definitely fall a little bit in love with Pepper Potts.

 

“Thank you,”

 

A few seconds later their coffees come.  Darcy stirs hers, takes a big sip, and starts talking.

 

“My mom, her name’s Lara Lewis.  And she was the most important person in the world to me.  I miss her so much.  But I think she kept a lot of secrets and I don’t think I’m really good at that.  I mean, since I was like 3, I’ve always just said what’s on my mind.  Absolutely anything that’s on my mind.  My mom used to say my filter was broken, but I think I never had one.  And I want to go to school, like real school, with real, other people.  Is cafeteria food as gross as people say it is?  It’s super weird how bad I wanna know.  So after…  I started thinking about all the things I really want to do, and what I came up with was everything, anything; I want to figure out if my mom’s way of living still makes sense, possibly, if it ever did.  So I called you.  

 

“You see, my mom worked at Stark Industries a long time ago.  First as an intern, and then as a paralegal.  But I’m guessing you already knew that.  I’m guessing, once I told you my name, you immediately did some research.  I already know what you found.”

 

“Not much,” Pepper confesses.

 

“Yeah, that’s because, on paper, I pretty much only existed for two years.”

 

“Your mother quit Stark Industries two years after her internship.  I’m guessing that’s not a coincidence.”

 

“Can I ask, how long have you worked at S.I., Pepper?”

 

“Six months as Tony’s Personal Assistant, but before that I worked in the Secretarial Department for three months.”

 

“But you know a lot more than someone who hasn’t even worked there for a year, knows, don’t you?”

 

“If you’re trying to ask me about Tony’s parents, yes, I know about the accident in 1991, the same year your mother left S.I.”

 

Darcy ignores that line of questioning.  “There was this party.  Summer of 89, during my mom’s internship.  Tony was there, and well, they met.  You can more than accurately guess what happened next.  Nine months later, I came kicking and screaming into this world.  Like the BA I am.

 

...

 

...So…, here goes nothing, ...I’m Tony Stark’s daughter.”

 

Pepper’s not shocked, she knew this was coming, but she does blink a few more times than normal.  “Why didn’t your mother ever tell Tony?  I mean, she worked at the company for two whole years before she left.  It’s not as if she wasn’t around him.”

 

“Well it’s not like she hated him or was mad at him.  She said it was because of how young he was, and how he was so not cut out to be a father.  Not that being a single mom was easy, but she was a smart cookie.  She had the gumption.”

 

“Do you think she ever planned to tell him?  Before and after she ran away?”

 

“Nope,” Darcy popped the p.  “As far as mom was concerned, I was all she needed.  But I don’t think she was going to stop me if I decided to meet him one day.”

 

“How long have you known Tony’s your father?”

 

“Since I was six and a half.  Mom never lied when I finally asked her.”

 

“So why now?  Just because of what happened to your mother?”  Pepper softens her eyes as she stares into Darcy’s.

 

Darcy gently nods.  “Yeah, like I said, she was my everything.  Now I have nothing.  I don’t like having nothing.”

 

After that telling confession, Pepper Potts straightens up a little more.  “I believe you, but are you willing to do a DNA test?  You’re the first person to claim to be Tony’s daughter, but more than one woman has claimed to be carrying Tony’s child.  He is pretty rich, you know.”

 

“Yeah, that’s fine.  And I’m not really here for money.  Well, like maybe if it’s for school, or whatever.  I just, ...I just kind of wanted to meet him.”

 

“We can do that today, if you’re up for it.  I know his 2 o’clock meeting isn’t actually a meeting; he thinks I don’t know he’s contacted the captain of his private jet for food recommendations.”

 

“Uh, umm… no, I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.  But tomorrow I might be.”

 

“Can you meet me first thing in the morning, then?  Tomorrow he plans to spend all day in R&D, but if you’re ready for him before he starts his day, then we can all talk.”

 

“Sure.  Meet outside the front door?”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Thank you, for the coffee.  And for listening.  And for believing me.”

 

“You’re more than welcome.  Darcy, do you have somewhere to stay tonight?  I can get you a hotel room.”

 

“Thanks, but I can pretty much take care of myself.”

 

“I believe it.  Well, then I will see you first thing tomorrow morning.”

 

“Yeah,” Darcy gets up to leave.  She awkwardly holds her hand out to shake Pepper’s.

 

The redhead takes it.  She smiles soft and sincere again.  “You look just like him.”

 

* * *

Pepper has to retrieve Darcy from across the street of the Stark Industries main building, the young girl a silent, nervous figure who can’t help but stare at all the exits.  Together they bypass the front desk and main elevators.  Instead, Pepper takes Darcy to a private elevator around the corner and towards the back of the building.  She informs Darcy that this one will go straight up to Tony’s office and that they can wait for him there.

 

Pepper’s not exactly sure what Darcy’s expecting versus what she sees when she first lays eyes on Tony’s office, but with a sigh, Pepper realizes it looks exactly like the exasperated assistant figured it would look.  Ignored papers in favor of some half-built contraption reign chaos over his desk.

 

But Darcy looks at all of the books first.  And Pepper knows Darcy would be able to understand every word, even at 14.

 

Eventually though, the teen turns to the unfinished device that sits on Tony’s desk.

 

Before Pepper can stop her, Darcy’s tongue pokes out of her teeth and her brow furrows.  She takes something off and another and another and sets them all down next to the device.  She has practically dismantled the whole thing when Tony finally makes his appearance.

 

The Stark CEO is too busy complaining at Happy to notice right away that the room he’s just entered is already occupied.  And Happy’s too busy trying to get a word in edgewise to try and get new words in edgewise, like “Sir, you have guests.”

 

“One hour, that’s all I’m saying.  You could have waited in the car that long and then I wouldn’t have had to watch that lovely lady walk away quite so soon.”

 

“Mr. Stark, you were already---”

 

“Pepper would have waited,” he finally addresses his personal assistant and favorite redhead.  “Wouldn’t you have, Pep?”

 

“Good morning Mr. Stark.  Happy.  I’m not sure what you mean.  Seeing as it is my job to make sure Tony Stark is in all the right places and at the right times, I’d never be so neglect as to sit around an extra hour when Mr. Stark is already forty five minutes late for work.”

 

Tony smirks.  “Even if it’s for a good cause?”

 

“We’ll have to go over the correct definition of a good cause again.”

 

Finally, in the most difficult way, Tony pries his eyes away from Pepper’s and notices what is going on at his desk.  The brunette teen with her back to them is more than enough to widen his eyes.  Darcy, quietly mumbling to herself, ignores the trio as she takes the pieces she’s dismantled and puts them back on the main piece.

 

“Who is this kid, Pepper?  And why is she messing with my--”

 

“Please wait, Mr. Stark.  It’s okay to let others play with your toys every once and awhile.”

 

There’s a sudden beep and a whir and the machine comes to life.

 

“How did you? …”

 

At that, Darcy turns around to finally look at the man across the room.  “Upside down.  You had most of the parts upside down.”

 

“Yeah, well, I put it together in the dark.”

 

Darcy just stares at him.

 

“No seriously, who the hell are you?”

 

Pepper takes over again.  “Tony, this is Darcy Lewis.  It was very important that she meet with you.  ...She’s your daughter, Tony.”

 

No one moves or even breathes for a full sixty seconds.

 

“Jesus, Tony,” Happy sighs, “give the kid a hug.  You both look like ya need it.”

 

“I don’t even know him!”  “I don’t even know her!”

 

Pepper chuckles at the simultaneous outbursts from father and daughter.

 

Happy rolls his eyes.  “She looks just like you.”

 

“Still, this hug thing, not happening.”  Tony crosses his arms.

 

It’s silly, because she doesn’t really know him, has only been in his presence for mere moments, but Darcy can easily see that she more than just looks like him.  And suddenly a lot of her mother’s comments over the years make more sense.  She finally drops her shoulders and unclenches her fists for the first time in almost a week; looking at him makes her finally comfortable with the decision she made to come here, to leave the only world she knows, her mother’s world, behind.

 

The short, brunette teenager walks up to Stark Industries’ CEO and holds out her hand.

 

Darcy grins after he eventually, reluctantly, shakes her hand.  “Oh, it is so happening, ...Dad.”


End file.
